Twins_Fan_in_NJ

Oh, and the guy on X (Twitter) - Ben Dover, IIRC that's the account - has a habit of 'BREAKING' news only to have it be a complete troll job.

Could be water under the bridge at this point but in 2019, Correa went on MLB Network and told Bellinger to STFU - almost verbatim. Perhaps they've mended fences but of all the teams that went at Houston for the cheating scandal, the Dodgers were the most persistent and loudest about it.

Interesting. No Brock Stewart? Severino and Rodriguez making the team.

Yup. For me, its about each guy taking a step up and I think Ryan and Ober can do that. If they do, then the rotation is similar to where it was last year - three guys you feel good about and two that are less of a sure thing.

If Ryan's healthy, I think he's capable of being a replacement for Gray. He might not have as impressive numbers on paper in 2024 but I think he can be a legitimate #2 - if healthy. The rest of it, perhaps overly simplistic, but can Bailey Ober give you in 2024 what Joe Ryan gave you in 2023? Absolutely, yes. Then they need Paddack and Descalfini to give similar production to what Ober and Kenta did in 2023. Not a stretch, IMHO. Kenta was awful early on. It begins and ends with Ryan, IYAM. If he takes that next step, the rotation is just fine. If he doesn't, well, then the front office messed up.

IF healthy, and admittedly, that's a gargantuan if when you look at the track record of Lewis and Buxton, but if the baseball gods give the Twins a reasonably healthy season, I think this is finally the year... They go to the World Series. The components are there. A legit ace in Lopez with Joe Ryan ready to take that next step and replace Sonny Gray. A bullpen that has been mentioned as being the best in the AL and one that has plenty of depth and options. There's a handful of relievers on the roster that have absolutely dynamic stuff. If the rotation after Lopez and Ryan is stabilized by Ober and someone from the group of Paddack / Varland / Descalfini, I think the pitching staff is good enough for a deep October run. I'd like them to add a right-handed bat to the outfield mix but it is not an immediate fatal flaw and something that can wait until the deadline. Again, I'll preface this by saying if health allows but how many teams have 3 players that have a ceiling of MVP - Correa, Buxton, and Lewis. The optimist in me says Julien and Wallner take the next step rather than experience a sophomore slump. Love the addition of Santana - lengthens the line-up and his approach could have a larger impact on the rest of the guys being more selective at the plate. I'm a big believer in Carlos Correa. He's made several comments about how close this group is and how there are parallels to what was going on in Houston when they made their run. I tend to believe him. So there it is. Call your shot. Health allowing...how good can this team be?

Yup. The stuff is dynamic (when healthy). I remember his plowing through the Twins' line-up a few times.

Interesting. He's an intriguing option for sure. If healthy, he can definitely help.

Didn't realize Staumont had the surgery in August '23. I thought it was August '22. I'd be shocked if he didn't open the season on the IL. I think the Twins are going to sign Lorenzen or Syndegaard and shift Descalfini to the bullpen while Varland gets stretched out in AAA.

Noah Syndegaard seems to be another name on their radar. I guess the plan is to add another starting pitcher for depth or 'break glass in the case of emergency' while Varland is stretched out in AAA.

And for the record, I like Nick Gordon. By all accounts, he was a good teammate. IIRC, Buxton even mentioned last season that they missed his energy in the clubhouse. But, he was redundant on this roster and there are more talented (potentially) players waiting in the wings. Hope he has success in Miami.

The Twins have Carlos Correa. They will win the AL Central by 5+ games.

Didn't like the Gordon pick when it was made. He's like 6'0 150 pounds. The measurables weren't there with him at least not to the point where he would be a top 5 pick. I think the Twins were a bit blinded by the bloodlines and positional versatility that really turned into a jack-of-all trades, master of none....

Carlos Correa is one of the best leaders in baseball. Not worried about leadership with this team.

Just looking at this group on paper - still not really sold on Descalfini as the 5th starter - if he's healthy, I think he can fill that spot - but is he healthy? Wonder if the Twins don't consider shifting him to a long relief role with Varland getting stretched out in AAA and signing a starting pitcher to boost the rotation...

I still have PTSD from Moran and Headrick so if the Twins are able to add a more than competent lefty to the bullpen, I'm happy - regardless of any hidden agendas or vendettas.

Gordon was well liked (by all accounts) by his teammates but he was also in a logjam and probably doesn't make the team out of spring training. Trading him makes sense especially when the return provides a safe guard against father time catching up to Thielbar and/or Funderburk regressing.

Not seeing the correlation between 2012 and 2024. In 2012, they had a complete re-set in terms of personnel. Thus far, they've tweaked the edges and added to the bullpen without doing anything to the core. In 2012, they needed the additions to have big seasons in order for there to be a competitive team. In 2024, the season hinges on the same guys as it did last year while hoping that the bullpen is more up to the task - and if its not, there's enough in the pipeline so that they can get the right mix of arms.

Issue I had with Sonny is that he was prone to nuclear meltdowns on the mound. First time through an order, he could absolutely dominate. But, after that - a tendency to start nibbling, laboring on the mound with incessant gum chewing, spinning the ball and taking his cap on and off. A lot of the accolades that he received were based on folks looking at his stats rather than actually watching him pitch. There's a reason why he went so long between wins and it wasn't necessarily a lack of run support, it was more that he rarely put teams away and let his fate in the bullpen's hands.

There's no collusion regarding Bellinger. Teams are just reluctant to give him big money after what he showed in 2020, 2021, and 2022. He was almost unplayable in 2021 and 2022. Was least year an outlier and will revert back to prior years after he gets his payday? It is a reasonable question to ask.

I'd be mildly surprised if Miranda is on the 26 man roster on opening day. I think more likely he's on IL or doing some kind of extended spring training. The moves to make, IMHO, are Tommy Pham and Michael Lorenzen. The move aren't necessarily the ones I want but they're the ones I can see the Twins making.

Oh, for sure. It's a lottery ticket that likely winds up in the trash...

Kepler is a lottery ticket if a selling team trades for him. Hope he blows up in the first half and you can sell incredibly high at the deadline.

Balazovic goes to show just how quickly a player can go from prospect to an afterthought. If you would've told me in 2021 that he would be DFA'ed before spring training 2024, I would never have believed it.

Might the front office have a trick up their sleeve? It seems like the off-season, at least for the Twins, started with the Polanco trade and the recently announced TV deal. The 40 man roster has a lot of redundancy. I wouldn't be shocked if we see a trade for a starting pitcher with Descalfani shifted into a long relief role.